UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL LANCASHIRE Programme Specification This Programme Specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the programme and the learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if he/she takes full advantage of the learning opportunities that are provided. Sources of information on the programme can be found in Section 17 1. Awarding Institution / Body University of Central Lancashire 2. Teaching Institution and Location of Delivery University of Central Lancashire 3. University School/Centre School of Journalism, Language and Communication 4. External Accreditation n/a 5. Title of Final Award BA (Hons) English Language and Journalism 6. Modes of Attendance offered Full and part-time 7. UCAS Code QP35 8. Relevant Subject Benchmarking Group(s) Linguistics; English 9. Other external influences n/a 10. Date of production/revision of this form July 2015 11. Aims of the Programme To provide a focussed but flexible programme of study incorporating key aspects of the nature and use of the English Language, especially in media-related disciplines To explore the factors which have shaped the news industries, predominantly in the UK but also in an international context To explore the skills involved in news gathering, reporting and writing in a range of mediarelated contexts To explore the linguistic devices used to exercise power in everyday and institutional settings To equip students with the skill to research and analyse written and spoken discourse using frameworks from Linguistics/English Language, Journalism and related disciplines To ensure the value of such study to the learner’s future personal and career development To facilitate an independent, proactive and reflective approach to learning, which encourages the development of critical thinking and reasoning skills To enable students to acquire the necessary practical and theoretical skills to move confidently from the course into a career in journalism or another field, or on to further academic study; and encourage students to recognise the skills they develop throughout their course, including transferrable skills. 12. Learning Outcomes, Teaching, Learning and Assessment Methods A. Knowledge and Understanding of A1. The structures and functions of English; A2. Basic concepts and analytical techniques applied in different levels of analysis; A3. The role of language in society (including its interrelation with ideology, power and subjectivity); A4. Different theoretical approaches and models used in addressing issues surrounding language; A5. Appropriate terminology in the study of language; A6. Particular areas of the study of language as determined by the modules chosen as options; A7. How a journalist works and what news is; A8. How news is obtained and how it is written and/or orally-conveyed; A9. The theoretical and philosophical frameworks used to study journalism; Teaching and Learning Methods A range of teaching and learning activities will be used: these include lectures, seminars, group activities, laboratory and class-based workshops, tutorials, independent reading and preparation for coursework assessments. A final dissertation module will give the students the opportunity to develop their own topic of research. The dissertation module can be applied and/or theoretical in orientation, and requires critical engagement with both disciplines (English Language/Linguistics and Journalism). This module is supported by a series of study sessions which cover a range of dissertation and research-related topics (i.e. strategies for choosing a topic, methodology, how to write a literature review). Students will deliver a paper or poster on the process and/or product of their research findings at the annual Dissertation Conference. Assessment methods Students will demonstrate their knowledge and understanding through a combination of written examinations, in-class tests, written essays of varying lengths, practical linguistic/textual analysis, presentations (individual or group), assessed production of practical journalism work, timeconstrained assignments, a dissertation and dissertation conference. Portfolios, learning logs and reflective statements will also be used on some modules as appropriate. B. Subject-specific skills Students will obtain the ability to: B1. Describe and analyse major formal and functional features of language; B2. Think critically about the nature of communication; B3. Relate the wider context of language use to its historical and/or contemporary (social) contexts; B4. Utilise the language of scholarly discourse appropriately, in their written and oral communication; B.5 Collect relevant data in appropriate form according to the requirements of particular areas of study, and with due consideration for ethical issues; B.6 Acquire the research skills needed for both disciplines, and understand appropriate ways of utilising such skills in related-disciplines (as a means of encouraging transferability); B.7 Present and produce materials for newspapers; B.8 Develop the required editing skills needed for a career in journalism (e.g. editorial and information management). Teaching and Learning Methods A range of teaching and learning activities will be used: these include lectures, seminars, group activities, laboratory and class-based workshops, tutorials, independent reading and preparation for coursework assessments. A final dissertation module will give the students the opportunity to develop their own topic of research. The dissertation module can be applied and/or theoretical in orientation, and requires critical engagement with both disciplines (English Language/Linguistics and Journalism). This module is supported by a series of study sessions which cover a range of dissertation and research-related topics (i.e. strategies for choosing a topic, methodology, how to write a literature review). Students will deliver a paper or poster on the process and/or product of their research findings at the annual Dissertation Conference. Assessment methods Students will demonstrate their knowledge and understanding through a combination of written examinations, in-class tests, written essays of varying lengths, practical linguistic/textual analysis, presentations (individual or group), assessed production of practical journalism work, time- constrained assignments, a dissertation and dissertation conference. Portfolios, learning logs and reflective statements will also be used on some modules as appropriate. C. Thinking Skills C1. Ability to exercise independent thought and judgement while engaging with other opinions, theories and judgements; C2. Ability to apply theoretical perspectives and appraise them critically; C3. Skills of researching, selecting and interpreting information from a range of primary and secondary sources, including a critical analysis of source material; C4. Skills of critical reasoning and argument; C5. Ability to think creatively and laterally, collate complex relevant information and derive ~ appropriate conclusion from it. Teaching and Learning Methods A range of teaching and learning activities including lectures, seminars, group activities, laboratory and class-based workshops, tutorials, independent reading and preparation for coursework assessments will be used. A final dissertation module will give the students the opportunity to develop their own topic of research, calling upon research, selection and interpretative skills and a mastery of using primary and secondary sources. The dissertation module is supported by a series of study sessions, which cover a range of dissertation and research-related topics (i.e. strategies for choosing a topic, methodology, how to write a literature review). Students will deliver a paper or poster on the process and/or product of their research findings at the annual Dissertation Conference. Assessment methods Students will demonstrate their knowledge and understanding through a combination of written examinations, in-class tests, written essays of varying lengths, practical linguistic/textual analysis, presentations (individual or group), assessed production of practical journalism work, timeconstrained assignments, a dissertation and dissertation conference. Portfolios, learning logs and reflective statements will also be used on some modules as appropriate. D. Other skills relevant to employability and personal development D1. Skills of independent learning: a high level of intellectual autonomy; D2. Ability to communicate ideas clearly and fluently; D3. Basic competence in the use of information technology to produce scholarly text and to retrieve information from electronic resources; D4. Co-operative skills, including the ability to engage in critical debate while showing respect for others; D5. Ability to reflect on one’s own strengths and weaknesses and identify skills and areas for development; D6. Transferable skills including presentation skills, team work, working to deadlines, providing feedback to others, persistence; D7. The development of traits that employers value and/or are known to lead to successful employment, including self-confidence, inquisitiveness, common sense, persistence, focus, ability to communicate appropriately (according to audience and situation), and with understanding. Teaching and Learning Methods A range of teaching and learning activities including lectures, seminars, group activities, laboratory and class-based workshops, tutorials, independent reading and preparation for coursework assessments will be used. A final dissertation module will give the students the opportunity to develop their own topic of research, calling upon research, selection and interpretative skills and a mastery of using primary and secondary sources. The dissertation module is supported by a series of study sessions, which cover a range of dissertation and research-related topics (i.e. strategies for choosing a topic, methodology, how to write a literature review). Students will deliver a paper or poster on the process and/or product of their research findings at the annual Dissertation Conference. Assessment methods Students will demonstrate their knowledge and understanding through a combination of reflective essays, reflective journals, presentations, a dissertation conference, team working, employabilityrelated projects, critical review of presentations of others, written reports summarising reflective journals, production of live newspapers, radio and online news production. The degree is also designed in such a way so as to assess students’ employability and PDP development, via the English Language Studies Initiative for Employability. 13. Programme Structures* Level Level 6 Core: 14. Awards and Credits* Module Code Module Title Credi t rating LG3112 Power in Talk 20 JN3110 Newspaper and Magazine Production English Language and Journalism Dissertation 40 Theory of English: Grammar and Cognition Contrastive Linguistics Intercultural Communication Advanced Pragmatics Inside English Words (Phonology and Morphology) II History of English II (co-requisite with LG2106 History of English I) English Dialects II (co-requisite with LG2107 English Dialects I) Investigating English Usage II (co-requisite with LG2110 Investigating English Usage I) English in Education (corequisite with LG2109 Child Language Acquisition) English Language and Literature II Philosophy of Language and Communication Forensic Linguistics Student Initiated Module (not timetabled) Student Initiated Module (not timetabled) 20 Either / Or LG3994 Options: LG3222 LG3223 LG3103 LG3104 LG3221 LG3106 LG3107 LG3108 LG3109 LG3110 LG3111 LG3113 LG3981 LG3982 40 Bachelor Honours Degree Requires 360 credits including a minimum of 220 at Level 2 or above and 100 at Level 3 Bachelor Degree Requires 320 credits including a minimum of 180 at Level 5 or above and 60 at Level 6 20 20 20 20 10 10 10 10 10 20 20 10 10 Ethics and Regulation JN3025 Option/Elective providing Work Experience: 20 Leading a Community Project Level 5 Core: VO3002 Options/Electives providing International Experience: 20 FR3061 GM3105 SH3002 French Language German Language Spanish Language 20 20 20 LG2200 English Language Workshop II (pre-requisite LG1200) Framing the News 20 LG2112 20 Diploma of HE Requires 240 credits including a minimum of 120 at Level 2 or above Options: LG2222 LG2103 LG2104 LG2221 LG2106 LG2107 LG2108 LG2109 LG2110 LG2111 LG2981 LG2982 JN2031 JN2033 JN2043 JN2049 JN2050 LA2913 PR2105 VO2003 AL2431 AL2432 AL2433 AL2434 AL2435 AL2436 AL2437 AL2438 AL2404 AL2301 AL2302 AL2303 AL2304 AL2306 AL2309 FR2001 GM2101 Print and Online Journalism Practice Foundations of English Grammar Sociolinguistics (e-module) Semantics and Pragmatics Inside English Words (phonology and Morphology) I History of English I (co-requisite with LG3106 History of English II) English Dialects I (co-requisite with LG3107 English Dialects II) Investigating English Usage I (co-requisite with Investigating English Usage II) Child Language Acquisition (corequisite with LG3109 English in Education) English Language and Literature I (co-requisite with LG3110 Stylistics II) Introduction to Rhetoric Student Initiated Module (not timetabled) Student Initiated Module (not timetabled) Journalism Issues International Journalism Specialist Reporting Advanced International Journalism: Feature Writing Digital Landscapes Law for Journalists Broadcast Media Training An option/Elective providing Work Experience: Community Leadership An Option/Elective providing International Experience: Intermediate French Intermediate German Intermediate Spanish Intermediate Italian Intermediate Chinese Intermediate Japanese Intermediate Arabic Intermediate Russian Intermediate Korean Advanced French** Advanced German Advanced Spanish Advanced Italian Advanced Japanese Advanced Russian French Language and Society 20 20 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 20 10 10 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 SH2001 Level 4 Comp: Core: LG1220 LG1200 LG1102 JN1014 JN1016 JN1018 JN1033 German Language and Society Spanish Language and Society Introduction to English Syntax and Phonology English Language Workshop I Introduction to Language and Linguistics Reporting Skills Creating Content Plus 1 of the following options:Introduction to Book Publishing The Business of Media 20 20 20 Certificate of HE Requires 120 credits at Level 1 or above 20 20 20 20 20 15. Personal Development Planning PDP is incorporated into the curriculum in a number of ways. The modules LG1200 and LG2200 relating to the English Language Studies Initiative (ELSIE) are designed to enhance the employability of the students and develop skills, personal attributes and achievements that can make students more likely to gain employment and become successful in their chosen careers. Throughout these modules, the students will be encouraged to identify their strengths and weaknesses and develop transferable skills. In addition to these modules, the students will have the opportunity to obtain a Career Planning Certificate as part of their dissertation module. The Certificate incorporates themes including selfawareness, opportunity awareness, decision-making and transitional learning (in terms of applying for a job, and producing a tailored CV and covering letter). For the dissertations, students are also asked to maintain a dissertation log, which should record the thoughts and experience(s) of the student during the supervisory process. Students who produce excellent work in the dissertation module will also be encouraged to submit a proposal to Diffusion, the UCLan undergraduate research journal. Students will be encouraged to work for the University’s newspaper Pluto, and the radio station frequency 1350. This will provide the students with opportunity to ‘learn by doing’ and enhance their self-awareness and their self-motivation, alongside developing skills and improving their knowledge base. These practical experiences will encourage students to be more pro-active in terms of pursuing extra-curriculum activities and becoming more employable. 16. Admissions criteria Programme Specifications include minimum entry requirements, including academic qualifications, together with appropriate experience and skills required for entry to study. These criteria may be expressed as a range rather than a specific grade. Amendments to entry requirements may have been made after these documents were published and you should consult the University’s website for the most up to date information. Students will be informed of their personal minimum entry criteria in their offer letter. - The University’s minimum standard entry requirements must be met by A2 level qualifications or equivalent. Although we recognise the breadth of study AS levels present, we would not accept these as forming part of your entry offer. Applications should be supported by a satisfactory GCSE performance, normally consisting of five GCSEs at Grade C or above including Maths and English. Specific entry requirements for this course are: GCE ‘A’ Level: 280-320 points including at least B in English Language, English Language/Literature or a cognate subject. Or BTEC in an appropriate subject areas - at least Merit overall. Other acceptable qualifications include: Scottish Certificate of Education Higher Grade Irish Leaving Certificate Higher Grade International Baccalaureate BTEC National Certificate/Diploma Access to HE Diploma In addition, candidates should normally have GCSE English at grade C or above, or equivalent. Students whose first language is not English are required to have an IELTS score of 7.0 overall with 7.0 on all subscores. Applications from people with relevant work or life experience and/or nonstandard qualifications are also welcome. 17. Key sources of information about the programme http://www.uclan.ac.uk/schools/languages_and_international/english_language.php UCAS 18. Curriculum Skills Map Please tick in the relevant boxes where individual Programme Learning Outcomes are being assessed Core (C), Programme Learning Outcomes Compulsory Module (COMP) or Level Code Module Title Option (O) Knowledge and understanding Subject-specific Skills L6 Theory of English: Grammar LG3222 and Cognition O LG3223 Contrastive Linguistics O LG3103 Intercultural Communication O LG3104 Advanced Pragmatics O LG3221 Inside English Words II O LG3106 History of English II O LG3107 English Dialects II O LG3108 Investigating English Usage II O LG3109 English in Education English Language and LG3110 Literature II Power in Talk LG3113 Forensic Linguistics JN3025 Ethics and Regulation A2 O Core O O A3 A4 A5 A6 A7 A8 A9 B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 O LG3111 Philosophy of Communication O LG3112 A1 B6 B7 B8 L5 Newspaper and Magazine JN3110 Production English Language and LG3994 Journalism Dissertation English Language Workshop LG2200 II (Prerequisite LG1200) Foundations of English LG2222 Grammar O O Core O LG2103 Sociolinguistics O LG2104 Semantics and Pragmatics O LG2221 Inside English Words I O LG2106 History of English I O LG2107 English Dialects I O LG2108 Investigating English Usage I O LG2109 Child Language Acquisition English Language and LG2110 Literature I O LG2111 Introduction to Rhetoric O LG2112 Framing the News Core JN2043 Specialist Reporting Advanced International JN2049 Journalism: Feature Writing O PR2105 Broadcast Media Training O JN2031 Journalism Issues O O O JN2033 International Journalism O JN2050 Digital Landscapes O L4 LA2913 Law for Journalists O English Language Workshop LG1200 1 C Introduction to Language and LG1102 Linguistics Core Introduction to English Syntax LG1220 and Phonology Comp JN1033 The Business of Media O JN1014 Reporting Skills Introduction to Book JN1018 Publishing Core JN1016 Creating Content Core L6 (cont) Module Level Code Module Title LG3222 LG3223 LG3103 LG3104 LG3221 LG3106 LG3107 Theory of English: Grammar and Cognition Contrastive Linguistics Intercultural Communication Advanced Pragmatics Inside English Words II History of English II English Dialects II Core (C), Compulsory (COMP) or Option (O) O O O O O O O O Other skills relevant to employability and personal development C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 D1 D2 D3 D4 Programme Learning Outcomes Thinking Skills D5 D6 D7 LG3108 LG3109 LG3110 LG3111 LG3112 LG3113 LG3112 JN3025 JN3110 LG3994 L5 LG2200 LG2222 LG2103 LG2104 LG2221 LG2106 LG2107 LG2108 LG2109 LG2110 LG2111 LG2112 JN2064 PR2105 JN2031 JN2033 JN2043 JN2049 JN2050 Investigating English Usage II English in Education Stylistics II Philosophy of Communication Power in Talk Forensic Linguistics Power in Talk Ethnics and Regulation Newspaper and Magazine Production English Language and Journalism Dissertation English Language Workshop II (Prerequisite LG1200) Foundations of English Grammar Sociolinguistics Semantics and Pragmatics Inside English Words I History of English I English Dialects I Investigating English Usage I Child Language Acquisition Stylistics I Introduction to Rhetoric Framing the News Print and Online Journalism Practice Broadcast Media Training Journalism Issues International Journalism Specialist Reporting Specialist Feature Writing Digital Landscapes O O O O Comp O O O Comp Comp C O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O L4 Note: LA2913 Law for Journalists English Language Workshop LG1200 1 Introduction to English Syntax LG1220 and Phonology Introduction to English LG1102 Language and Linguistics JN1018 Intro to Book Publishing JN1033 The Business of Media JN1014 Reporting Skills JN1016 Creating Content O C Comp C O O Comp Comp Mapping to other external frameworks, e.g. professional/statutory bodies, will be included within Student Course Handbooks